Russia has reportedly intensified its efforts to expand bioweapons research facilities both near Moscow and in parts of Africa, according to a report by the Robert Lansing Institute (RLI), corroborated by the Washington Post.
Re-open Research Center
RLI’s analysis suggests that Russian military scientists have been actively studying hemorrhagic fever viruses and smallpox strains, with activities allegedly coinciding with viral outbreaks in Africa.
The recent report highlights that Russia initiated renovations and expansions at its former Cold War-era biological research center, Sergiev Posad-6, located near Moscow, according to Digi24.
Satellite images reveal new installations on the site, which once served as a key center for the Soviet Union’s biological weapons program, known as the 48th Central Research Institute under the Soviet Ministry of Defense.
According to RLI, these renewed facilities could be tied to Russia’s interest in biological warfare, especially as tensions with the West escalate.
Russian Studies Coincided With Outbreaks
The report further indicates that in 2022, military virologists from Russia’s Ministry of Defense were linked to research activities in Africa.
Observers noted that the Russian studies on pathogens like the Marburg virus and monkeypox were conducted close to the times and locations of outbreaks of these diseases, including a Marburg outbreak in Ghana.
Analysts from RLI assert that Russian biolaboratories in Africa may be collecting highly virulent biological samples as part of a broader strategic goal.
Russia has restricted public access to data on defense contracts, limiting transparency into its recent activities in Africa.
RLI suggests that Russia’s accusations against U.S.-backed biolabs in countries like Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Georgia may serve as a diversion from its own research activities.
